Construction begins on Evergreen Line tunnel

Construction has started on the Evergreen Line tunnel in Vancouver, BC, Canada, with the use of tunnel boring machine named "Alice," after Alice Wilson, Canada's first female geologist.

The two-kilometer (1.2-mile) Evergreen Line tunnel will run east of Barnet Highway in Port Moody to south of Kemsley Avenue in Coquitlam. The machine will drill a single tunnel in one direction, instead of two, allowing for a shorter construction schedule.

EGRT Construction is building the elevated and at-grade guideways, the tunnel, seven stations, power substations, train operating systems and parking facilities, as well as a vehicle-storage and light maintenance facility.

The Evergreen Line will link Burnaby, Port Moody and Coquitlam and be fully integrated into the existing system, connecting directly onto the Millennium Line at Lougheed Town Centre Station. It will carry 70,000 passengers and remove 40,000 cars off the road everyday by 2021.

Funding for the Evergreen Line is a partnership between the Canadian government, the British Columbia government and TransLink, costing an estimated CA$1.43 billion (US$1.28 billion).

"Our government is pleased to invest in this project that will create jobs and boost the regional economy. The Evergreen Line will not only provide Metro Vancouver residents with an expanded, efficient and environmentally sustainable transit system, it will connect communities and improve the quality of life for all residents of the region," said James Moore, minister responsible for British Columbia and member of Parliament for Port Moody - Westwood - Port Coquitlam.